Timepiece Wake-Up Mechanism Preventing Accidental Triggering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing alarm mechanisms in mechanical timepieces often malfunction due to improper handling, leading to damage of striking or winding mechanisms, as users lack understanding of their operation, and prior solutions like isolation levers do not prevent triggering when the control rod is connected to the rotary input/output member, causing incomplete or blocked ringing.
Innovation Solution
The alarm mechanism features a disengaged kinematic connection between the control rod and rotary input/output member when activated, preventing triggering and allowing safe reassembly, along with an automatic deactivation system when the mainspring disarms below a threshold, ensuring the ringing mechanism stops in the deactivated state and allowing winding without activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the control rod is kinematically connected to the rotary input/output member of the barrel, then the mainspring can be armed for striking, but the striking mechanism may be triggered accidentally during reassembly or when the alarm is activated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a preliminary blocking action where the alarm activation state automatically prevents the control rod from being kinematically connected to the rotary input/output member. This preliminary prevention ensures that even if a user attempts to wind the striking mechanism during alarm activation, the connection is blocked in advance, preventing accidental triggering during reassembly or operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary blocking mechanism that mediates between the alarm activation state and the striking mechanism arming process. When the alarm is activated, this intermediary block prevents the kinematic connection between the control rod and rotary input/output member, thereby preventing the mainspring from being armed. This intermediary block resolves the contradiction by allowing normal winding operation when the alarm is deactivated while preventing accidental triggering when activated
2Reliability
If the alarm mechanism is activated, then the ringing mechanism can trigger at pre-programmed time, but the control rod cannot be safely connected to the rotary input/output member for winding operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic state-dependent blocking mechanism where the connectivity between the control rod and rotary input/output member changes based on the alarm activation state. When the alarm is activated, the blocking mechanism dynamically prevents kinematic connection, ensuring safety. When deactivated, the blocking is released, allowing normal winding and arming operations. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between reliability and operational flexibility
3Reliability
If the striking mechanism is allowed to trigger when the control rod is connected to the rotary input/output member, then the alarm can ring, but the mechanism may block completely or malfunction if triggered during reassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the striking mechanism control into distinct functional zones: the alarm activation state control and the striking mechanism arming control. By segmenting the control logic, the patent ensures that the alarm activation state automatically segments or separates the kinematic connection between the control rod and rotary input/output member, preventing the triggering scenario during reassembly while maintaining simple implementation through state-dependent blocking
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The invention relates to a wake-up mechanism for a timepiece, which can be either in an activated state or in a deactivated state, and which comprises a striking mechanism, a barrel (14) having a mainspring and a rotary input/output member (79, 17), the mainspring being arranged so as to disarm by driving the striking mechanism as a result of a trigger of the latter, a manually controlled mechanism arranged to alternately activate and deactivate the wake-up mechanism, a trigger system arranged to control the triggering of the striking mechanism at a preprogrammed time, if the wake-up mechanism is in the activated state, and a winding of the striking mechanism comprising a control rod (117) and a disengageable kinematic link (119, 121, 125, 127, 129, 131) connecting the control rod to the input/output member (79, 17) of the barrel (14). The wake-up mechanism is characterized in that it further comprises means (59A, 133, 139, 143) for keeping the kinematic link disengaged when the wake-up mechanism is in the activated state.